Shifter
by Cyricist001
Summary: Sef was never a very lucky elf, but this was the first time her luck transported her to another world. And how can she return back to Toril?


Most of Torils inhabitants are not very familiar with what lies in the endless frozen wastelands that reside in the far north of the land.

But where for many the Great Glacier was nothing more then a desolate frozen wastes without any life or warmth, for a few it was home.

In this deadly, inhospitable land resided a powerful nation that mostly remained isolated from the rest of the world.

The Empire of Frost.

If a southerner could survive the journey to its borders he would be amazed with the beauty its cities possessed.

The sun was reflected from its frozen building and spires giving them a sparkling surreal beauty. everything was made from snow and ice. From the illumination to the cities walls. It was probably fit to be called a winter wonderland.

It was ruled by the Frostlich Heinrich who was the unattested autocrat of the Empire.

Under his rule were many races that lived in these parts. Frost folk, Iceborn, Frost Elves, Arctic Dwarfs, Frost Giants and Arctic Wild Elves.

It was a harsh life in the North. There was hardly any food to live on.

Most foodstuff came from fishing. Especially the Jokulmorder. It was a colossal and dangerous beast, but its flesh, bones and blubber were highly prized.

The other product they had in abundance was magical items and gems produced or mined from a large number of mines through the North.

Those were then traded by magical portals or caravans with the southerners for other necessities, often more food, since it was the scarcest resource in the region.

The society was open and had only few heavily enforced laws that even the most chaotic of Frost Giants followed. The crime rates were very low since it was in everybody best interest to follow the liches demanded.

Sef walked down Skadisburgs main street pulling her sled with animal pelts behind. She was a Druid/Shifter and mostly spend her time out in the wild, but even she came to the city to buy supplies. She had no luck in hunting this past week and her food supplies were reaching dangerous levels.

She passed the temple of Auril, The Frostmaiden whose faith was predominant in the Empire.

She also passed the market to first buy some other supplies.

Sef spotted the frost spire of the ranger and merchant Olaf. The arctic dwarf was a good friend and sometime they hunted penguins and seals together.

As she entered the shop she spotted the his small figure as he placed a quiver of arrows on a shelf.

„You might bring those directly to the counter" she said with a smile

The dwarf returned the smile when he glanced at the door „Long time no see, you want the arrows?"

She nodded „Yes, had a run in with a Frost Worm, it broke my skis and emptied my quiver before it disappeared" she said.

„Your lucky to be alive" said the dwarf sincerely. It was rare that someone survives an ambush of a Frost Worm.

„Indeed. But that also means I will have to sell some of my pelts and furs to get new gear. Is it still the standard price?"

The dwarf nodded „Ja, don't worry about that" he said as he walked to the sled „Will you need anything else beside arrows and skis?"

„I will have to buy some food on the way back" she told him as she moved the skis on the sled and placed the quiver on her back.

„That can wait, how about we visit the Inn, you just got here and if I'm not mistake you didn't eat anything this morning"

„Only if your buying" she smiled

„Well its only fair, these pelts bring me a fortune down south" he said.

She was ready to leave when an item caught her eye „Whats this?" she asked as she lifted the strange book. „I didn't know that you sold books?"

„Normally I don't. But that one is special, it has some enchantment on it and the mages have no idea what it is, it resisted all attempts to identify it"

She was no mage but she also could sense the magic from the item, but unlike the arcane it was somehow different...familiar but also foreign „How much for the book?"

The dwarf scratched his beard before he shrugged „Keep it, it's no use to me anyway since I'm no mage and nobody showed any interest in it. In the end I found it so its not like I lose anything giving it away, you probably need something to do beside getting into trouble"

„Thanks you" she said as placed the book in the sled.

Sef and Olaf walked to the Inn where they chatted the hours away, with a good drink and a nice meal. Mostly they reminiscent over their hunting trips and exploits. She remembered fondly the first time she met the small dwarf – he was really small even by dwarven standards.

She as usual stumbled into trouble...or rather it found her. A Ice troll pack somehow managed to surprise her and she found herself in a rather dire situation. She managed to slay two but the third one managed to hit her hard, she had no doubt she would have died then and there by the trolls sharp claws, but she lived thanks to Olaf who was returning from a penguin hunt. Seeing her being attacked by trolls he rushed and placed his hammer on the things knee, making it lose its balance...not to mention the knee. Now that the monster and dwarf could see eye to eye, Olaf proceeded to beat some sense into its skull.

And as expected the troll was stunned with his argument, deciding to sleep over them.

She was grateful and the two were best of friend since then.

She could never understand how she could attract so much trouble simply by walking around. It's not like she was a ditz or anything, it's simply when something happens it usually goes worse before it gets better with her.

If she was incompetent she would have never survived in this land for so long.

Her belly full and her muscles tired she decided to take Olafs offer of a spare bed, well it's not so much a bed as a heap of furs, but it was warm and that made it all the sweeter.

* * *

The next morning she thanked Olaf for his hospitality and went to buy food on the market.

Satisfied with the shopping she pulled the sled to the gates where she left her best female friend.

It wasn't easy to see her but with a whistle she saw her emerge from a corner. Her fur was white as snow, making it almost impossible to see her when she decided she didn't want to be seen.

She ruffled her fur making the Winter Wolf snort, but in Sefs ears that translated don't stop.

Zig was small for a Winter Wolf, but still made a formidable sight to any other animal. And she proved many foolish creature – and male wolf – that her size didn't diminish any of her ferocity.

She gave Zig a big piece of meat while she strapped the sled to the wolf via collar. The wolf was far stronger than she was, and managed to pull the heavy sled for many miles without any signs of fatigue. Beside that she was formidable in a fight and possessed senses that made survival in the wastes a lot easier.

Zig was rather intelligent and could speak the common language rather easily, but she rarely had anything to say so it was on Sef to do all the talking.

And Sef never told it to Zig but she made a excellent bed warmer in the cold nights. All that fur on the wolf was to good for only one person...animal.

They were making good time over the ice when Zig spotted something strange.

„We have company" the wolf said.

Sef nodded as she pulled her bow while the wolf continued its run. They didn't have to wait long for the threat to show themselves. Arctic orcs.

The ugly beasts thought that they could ambush her on the open ground. The fools.

She easily walked over the sled and stepped on Zigs back before undoing the collar on the wolf.

She continued onward as the sled lost momentum and stopped dead in the snow. The spears and ice shards the orcs threw impaled nothing beside the sled.

Zig easily evaded the oncoming projectiles as Sef from her back let her longbow do the talking.

With every arrow a orc fell over dead. Zig rushed one of the orcs and with the snapping of her powerful jaws the orcs head, neck and a part of his right shoulder ended in her gullet.

Sef used that moment to jump from the wolf's back and ram her spear in the closest orc, before she prepared to fight the others.

Her body suddenly started to shift and change. And where moments ago a beautiful arctic wild elf was standing now stood a large abomination.

Her eight legs clicked menacingly as they pierced the hard ice. The orcs backed off as the drider started to stab at them with her spear and legs.

One by one they fell to her attacks, except one that managed to jump on her back and stabbed her with a crude but effective spear. She shrieked but managed to dislodge the orc who was quickly trampled under her legs.

Sef scanned the surrounding and when she couldnt see any other enemies she shifted back into her natural body, her wounds healing in the process.

She saw Zig already feasting on the orcs flesh, and with a shake of her head went to see if the orcs had anything worth the hassle. Not that the orcs themselves were no good find, their meat will keep Zig fed for a while and that meant she will have to share far less of the good food.

Her thoughts were interrupted when a familiar sound reached her ears, and she saw that Zig also heard it since the Winter Wolf stopped her snake to keenly observe the surroundings.

When she heard the noise again she wanted to curse but it was too late. The ice under them broke and they fell into a deep ice cavern

The fall was deep, but luckily the sharp ice shards and the falling icicles softened her fall...well sarcastically speaking of course.

She looked to Zig but her sight started to blur from the blood loss or from the concussion she had probably earned from the fall.

She couldn't believe she will die such an absurd death. Beshaba really hated her it seems.

She spotted Olafs book and thought sadly that she wont be able to see why was it so intriguing.

Sefs only functional arm reached shakily to the item but her consciousness faded when it was almost upon it.

She never saw her bloodied hand fall on the book that started to glow and float in the air, slowly spinning and making lightning crack around the cavern.

The small but dense thunder-storm soon started to shoot lightning around itself further damaging the cave, and sucking up anything around it.

With one last bolt the cavern crumbled on itself.

* * *

The elven patrol didn't know what to make of this. They were on their normal patrol when a bizarre sight greeted them.

In the middle of the forest a circle of ice-covered the vegetation, and in the middle a pale elven maiden lay injured beside a sled and a big white wolf.

At first they thought that the wolf was the attacker, but since the sled was outfitted with a collar they deduced the wolf was the one pulling it.

They found the culprits when they started to poke around the snow. They soon managed to drag some thirty pale white orcs clutching primitive spears.

_So she was traveling with the wolf and they attacked her? And then what?_ The commander of the patrol could not understand. Pale orcs, giant white wolf's and snow in the middle of summer. At least she was not seriously injured. A few broken ribs, her right arm and a lot of bruises and cuts..._bad time to joke_, she was lucky the ribs didnt damage a lung or any other organ.

„Lets bring her and the wolf to Rivendell" said the elven commander _Perhaps Lord Elrond will know what transpired here_.

Name:

Sef

Race:

Arctic Wild Elf

Class:

Druid 6/ Shifter 7

Armor:

Hide Armor + fur

Weapon:

Longbow +2

Spear +2

A/N: I would appreciate to send me any ideas you have how this story should progress since it was a LONG time since I read the books, and can only remember the movies.


End file.
